Allah (swt) explains to us why He (swt) does not speak to them, does not purify them and why they will face painful torment in the hereafter.

They have exchanged the misguidance with guidance; torment with forgiveness. When you see the terribleness of punishment, don’t aggrandize it, but look at the terribleness of the offense.

When people think of the criminal’s punishment apart from his committed crime, they sympathize with the criminal because they only see the criminal and forget his crime. Therefore, the moment you see a punishment and you aggrandize it; you must evoke the offense for which the penalty is enjoined. Thus, we often find people feel compassionate towards the criminals who are tried and sentenced to severe penalties. This is because the offense was a long time ago and they did not witness it, and its implications and consequences ended leaving only the offender, so they feel compassionate towards him.

( أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ اشْتَرَوُا الضَّلَالَةَ بِالْهُدَىٰ ) (Those are the ones who have exchanged guidance for error and forgiveness for punishment..): The letter “ب” in Arabic is connected to what is neglected. In this verse the misguidance was chosen and the guidance was left, and torment was replaced with forgiveness.  As long as they have chosen misguidance instead of guidance, and suffering instead of forgiveness, so it is only fair for them to receive painful torment.

( فَمَا أَصْبَرَهُمْ عَلَى النَّارِ ) (How patient they are in pursuit of the Fire!): This is meant to make the atrocity of punishment in order to make people repel from it. Allah (swt) wants us to wonder at how the stray may leave the guidance and takes the delusion; and then the result will be to receive punishment and forbidden from the forgiveness. So what gives him hope that he will endure Hell’s fire? Does he have the patience to the extent that would make him willing to commit sins that cause him to be cast in hell? What makes him endure this torment? does he have the strength to endure the fire? And what is this strength? As if Allah (swt) says: You are unaware of what penalty is awaiting you otherwise what makes you patient on this fire and persist in tyranny and astray, forgetting that the fire will be yours; how are you certain that you are safe of the fire? Fire is something no human can ever tolerate.